You have various funding and payment options for care and support

If you have already had an initial conversation with your local authority, you will have also discussed how you can fund your care. (If you haven’t contacted your local authority regarding your care yet, perhaps check out our what happens next page for the steps we’d recommend you take when considering care.)

There are three main options when it comes to paying for care:

Social services-funded care

The first step to finding out if you are eligible for state funding is to ask your local social services department to carry out an assessment of your care needs.

If your local authority then agrees you need care, they will assess your finances to see how much care will be funded by the state, and whether you need to contribute too. If your needs meet the national eligibility criteria, the law requires that it must ensure that these needs are met. As part of this process, it will assess your finances to see how much it can fund for you and how much you may need to contribute yourself. If you’re eligible for funded care, your local authority will point you towards their nominated care provider or recommend a local service if it is more suitable.

Personal budgets

If you are entitled to it, your Local Authority will sometimes pay what it can fund for you directly into your bank account – referred to as a ‘Personal Budget’ or ‘Direct Payment’ – that you can use to pay for care yourself. This gives you more control over your care and allows you to buy care services from your preferred provider. If you can’t manage your Direct Payment yourself, you can choose to have it paid to a family member or friend who then takes on the responsibilities for you.

Funding your own care

Self-funding (or pay as you go) gives you ultimate control over the type of care you receive and who provides it. You choose the level of assistance or support that you require and fund it via your own means.